Written Answers Thursday 13 December 2007

Scottish Executive

Antisocial Behaviour

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how tackling antisocial behaviour is being addressed in the 2007 spending review.

Fergus Ewing: Antisocial behaviour is a very real issue for local communities. We believe local authorities and other partners are best placed to decide how to allocate resources to tackle the issue. That is why antisocial behaviour and community safety funding is no longer ring-fenced and now forms part of the overall local government settlement. This gives local partners the increased freedom they have been looking for.

Blood Donors

Nigel Don (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the number of blood donors.

Shona Robison: Last week the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service launched its yearly Christmas campaign to highlight to the public that blood stocks are low and that new donors are needed urgently.

  The Blood Transfusion Service strives, through public relations work and publicity campaigns, to reach a wide number of people across Scotland who are potential donors.

  Key initiatives include Blood Donor 24, aimed at targeting key blood group shortages rapidly, with the help of committed existing donors. Other initiatives are World Blood Donor Day and Blood Donor Week each summer, the Blood Donor Award Ceremonies and the Three Times Promise.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in relation to the central heating programme, how and when the additional funding announced will be spent.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The funding will be spent within this financial year 2007-08 by payment of central heating grants and associated fees to agents for the programme.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, how many extra installations will now be completed.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Funding made available in August and in November will be used to install up to 3,100 additional central heating systems in this financial year 2007-08.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, how long the average household will now have to wait for the installation of a new (a) central heating system and (b) boiler.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  Information is held on the average waiting time from application to installation and this is currently being reported by the managing agent as between five and six months.

  The central heating programme is demand-led and the waiting time is determined by the number of householders who apply and the number of systems that can be installed. The average waiting time for those currently on the waiting list is not yet known, but continues to be estimated at the current timescale.

  There is no difference in waiting times between a full system and a boiler only.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the additional funding announced for the central heating programme, what the maximum waiting time will now be for (a) complete central heating systems and (b) boiler only installations.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  There is no maximum waiting time for the programme, which is demand-led. Waiting times are dependent on the number of householders applying, available resources, including capacity of the installer to respond and the circumstances relating to each installation. These circumstances can include technical issues such as the suitability of the fuel supply and the need for building warrants in an individual’s home. They can also include individual issues such as whether the proposed installation date is convenient for the homeowner.

  There is no difference in waiting time between a full system and a boiler only system.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to the central heating programme are currently waiting to be assessed.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Programme Managing Agent (Scottish Gas) has indicated that all applicants to the programme have been assessed through the call centre process.

Central Heating

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of how many applications to the central heating programme have the applications been approved but installation is still awaited.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:

  As at 2 December there were 11,295 applicants, who have been assessed through the call centre process and placed on the waiting list.

Child Poverty

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are living in poverty.

Stewart Maxwell: This information is published in the Scottish Household’s Below Average Income Statistics Publication Notice 2005-06 – Revised (Bib. number 43209).

Child Welfare

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers will make a statement following the publication of the report of the independent review, led by Tom Shaw, Historical Abuse Systemic Review: Residential Schools and Children’s Homes in Scotland 1950 to 1995 .

Adam Ingram: Further to my response to question S3W-6410 on 22 November 2007, the Scottish Government will take forward the recommendations in the Historical Abuse Systemic Review: Residential Schools and Children’s Homes in Scotland 1950 to 1995 .

  I am working with partners to bring forward specific proposals, from developing the workforce to ensuring high-quality services, which address the issues raised. I will announce these proposals to Parliament in due course.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Community Wardens

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the use of community wardens in the highlands and islands.

Fergus Ewing: We know from a recent evaluation that community wardens can play a key role in helping to create safer, stronger communities. To help develop this role further and identify good practice we have included the role of community wardens within the recently announced review of antisocial behaviour.

  Decisions on how best to develop the role of community wardens within a specific community are a matter for the relevant local agencies.

Concessionary Travel

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of entitlement to free travel for holders of national entitlement cards, under the national concessionary travel scheme, on ferries operated by (a) Caledonian MacBrayne, (b) Northlink, (c) Orkney Ferries, (d) Shetland Islands Council and (e) Argyll and Bute Council, in each case showing (i) who is entitled to free travel, (ii) any limits on the entitlement and (iii) how the cost of the free travel is funded.

Stewart Stevenson: Residents of Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland who meet the eligibility criteria for Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People are entitled to two free return ferry vouchers from their place of residence to the Scottish mainland each financial year, provided they have applied for and received a national entitlement card. These services are operated by Caledonian MacBrayne and Northlink.

  The vouchers can be used at any time during the financial year and the scheme is funded by Transport Scotland.

  Orkney Ferries and the ferry services run by Shetland Islands Council do not provide a service to the Scottish mainland and therefore do not participate in the national scheme but residents can take advantage of a local ferry concession operated by the respective local authorities.

  Eligible island residents within the Argyll and Bute Council area have access to a local ferry concession scheme operated and funded by the Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Scheme Joint Committee and therefore do not receive ferry vouchers as part of Scotland-Wide Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People.

Council Tax

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact of any freeze in council tax on the numbers of people eligible for council tax benefit.

John Swinney: The council tax freeze will not itself affect anyone’s entitlement to council tax benefit.

Domestic Abuse

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to ensure that women’s aid services are safeguarded in the current spending review period and beyond.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has shown its on-going commitment to the work to tackle violence against women, including domestic abuse through the allocation of more than £40 million over the next three years to this agenda. For example, both the Violence Against Women Fund and the Children’s Services Women’s Aid Fund will continue, as well as continued funding for Scottish Women’s Aid. We are also providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11.

  It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities taking into account its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and national outcomes.

Domestic Abuse

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authority areas have partner programmes providing support to victims of domestic abuse.

Stewart Maxwell: Currently the Scottish Government funds four partners support projects, they are:

  The Women’s Service – Edinburgh

  Working with Men Project – Edinburgh

  Women and Children’s Worker – West Lothian

  Women’s Services Worker – Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling.

Domestic Abuse

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it will allocate in the budget for partner programmes to provide support to victims of domestic abuse.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government is currently considering its allocation of funding for partner support programmes in light of the outcome of Spending Review 2007.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Grampian will benefit from the pilot of extending the drug treatment and testing order approach to a wider range of offenders.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities will benefit from the pilot of extending the drug treatment and testing order approach to a wider range of offenders.

Fergus Ewing: Extending use of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) to lower tariff offenders poses a number of opportunities and challenges and we will therefore undertake a pilot exercise in the first instance. An announcement on the location of the pilot will be made shortly.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders in Grampian are on drug treatment programmes and have been subject to testing orders.

Fergus Ewing: Data is not held centrally on the numbers of offenders in the Grampian area currently engaged in treatment programmes. In the period 2003-07, 114 drug treatment and testing orders were imposed by courts situated within the Northern Community Justice Authority (CJA) area, which comprises Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Eilean Siar, Highland, Moray, Orkney and Shetland Isles local authority areas. Other offenders are engaged in treatment programmes but are not subject to drug treatment and testing orders.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offenders in Grampian were on drug treatment programmes and have been subject to testing orders in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07 and, of these, how many would have fallen under the extension of the drug treatment and testing order approach.

Fergus Ewing: Data is not held centrally for the Grampian area. Information is shown below for the local authorities which comprise the Northern Community Justice Authority (CJA) area. These are Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Eilean Siar, Highland, Moray, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands.

  Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTO): Northern CJA

  Number of Orders

  2003-04: 20

  2004-05: 21

  2005-06: 37

  2006-07: 36.

  Existing guidance for DTTOs restricts use of DTTOs to high tariff offenders and all of the orders have been imposed against the framework of the existing guidance.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its targets are for its extension of the drug treatment and testing order approach.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on piloting the extension of the drug treatment and testing order approach in Grampian.

Fergus Ewing: The extension of drug treatment and testing orders to deal with lower tariff offenders will be the subject of a pilot exercise. Given that decisions on sentencing in individual cases are a matter for the courts, it would not be appropriate to set targets for the number of orders made as part of the pilot.

Drug Misuse

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent in Grampian in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06 and (d) 2006-07 on implementing drug treatment and testing orders.

Fergus Ewing: The following table shows the level of criminal justice social work grant allocations issued to the relevant local authorities within the Grampian area for the delivery of drug treatment and testing orders in financial years 2003-04 to 2006-07 inclusive. Drug treatment and testing orders were extended to courts in Highland and Moray with effect from 6 June 2005 and the grant allocations provided in the 2005-06 financial year reflect both initial start up and revenue costs.

  

Financial year
Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire
Highland/Moray
Grant Allocations


2003-04
£437,091
-
£437,091


2004-05
£450,204
-
£450,204


2005-06
£461,459
£245,000
£706,459


2006-07
£461,459
£215,000
£676,459


Total
£1,810,213
£460,000
£2,270,213

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to recognise the importance of blanket bogs such as Dava Moor for their capacity to act as major carbon stores.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government recognises the role peatlands, including blanket bogs play in storing carbon. Maintaining and enhancing carbon stores will play an important role in our overall approach to tackling climate change. The preservation and enhancement of soil carbon will also be a key consideration of the Scottish Soil Strategy to be published in 2008. As part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme, Rural Development Contracts provide financial incentives for land managers to maintain and enhance blanket bogs, and thus the carbon stored within. In addition, rough grazings and other semi-natural areas such as blanket bogs are protected by the requirements of Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) which applies to all land covered by the Single Farm Payment, other direct aid schemes and Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme 2007. GAEC will also apply to payments under the Scotland Rural Development Programme once it has been approved by the European Commission.

Environment

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to take steps to extend protection under the EU habitats directive to all blanket bogs.

Michael Russell: With the exception of one candidate site, the list of Special Areas of Conservation designated under the EC Habitats Directive is now complete for the terrestrial environment in Scotland. There are no current proposals to extend this list.

Environment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to encourage teleworking.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government encourages teleworking in several ways. This includes the provision of laptops, Blackberry mobile devices and Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) connected to the Scottish Government network. In addition, flexible working has formed a key part of the Diversity Strategy, Positive About You , since its launch in November 2000 and its aim is to ensure that staff are able to enjoy a satisfactory work-life balance. Teleworking can also play an important role in mitigating the impacts of transport.

  The Scottish Government is working with a number of organisations to promote, develop and implement travel plans to deliver measures, including teleworking where appropriate, which help to reduce the environmental, social and economic impacts associated with travel, both the commute to work as well as business trips. We are funding the Regional Transport Partnerships and Energy Saving Trust to work with public and private organisations to promote and deliver travel plans.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how its deliberations on the proposed Trump development in Aberdeenshire will take into account the extent to which it contributes towards or detracts from the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050.

John Swinney: All relevant material considerations will be taken into account in the determination of the planning application.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how its designation of planning applications of national importance and consideration of such applications will take account of the target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 and whether individual projects in this category will be required to demonstrate how they will contribute towards the achievement of this target.

Stewart Stevenson: The considerations the Scottish ministers will take into account in designating projects as national developments were set out in the statement to Parliament by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth on 13 September 2007. The contribution a project would make to the achievement of the Government’s climate change target is one important consideration, but not the only basis for designation as a national development. The strategic environmental assessment for the National Planning Framework will address the effects of national developments on the environment, including climatic factors.

Environment

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6404 by Stewart Stevenson on 29 November 2007, what additional information can be provided about its proposed carbon impact assessments.

Stewart Stevenson: The carbon impact of a spending proposal will be an integral part of the policy assessment process during the next budgetary period. Where appropriate, the assessment will measure the likely impact on emissions and incorporate the monetary cost of these emissions using the government’s new shadow price of carbon guidance.

Families

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what health-related support structures are routinely available to fathers in cases of family breakdown.

Shona Robison: Health and social care support should be available to all family members. Responses will be determined by individual needs and will address physical and mental wellbeing.

  The national Breathing Space telephone advice line and Samaritans provide confidential support and advice to people experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety. Breathing Space, which includes a particular male needs focus, can refer callers to appropriate sources of support in their own locality.

Ferry Services

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the recent decision by Stena Line and P&O Ferries not to relocate their terminal from Stranraer to Cairnryan will have on rail services using the Ayr to Stranraer line.

Stewart Stevenson: The decision by Stena Line not to relocate their ferry operation from Stranraer to Cairnryan has meant that timetable plans which were in development to cater for this change in operation will not now be implemented.

  P&O Ferries already operate from Cairnryan.

Fisheries

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive why the marine and fisheries budget is being reduced in 2010-11.

Richard Lochhead: The reduction in the marine and fisheries budget in 2010-11 reflects the profile of additional capital budget for Fisheries Research Services (FRS) over the three years of the SR2007 period. FRS will receive an additional allocation of £2 million/£6 million/£4.3 million over the next three years to complete the new Fish Health laboratory at the Torry site in Aberdeen.

Flood Prevention

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what account local authorities must take of upstream development when considering downstream flood alleviation measures.

Michael Russell: The estimation of flood flows at any location is a matter for the local authorities and their professional advisors. However it is professional good practice to follow the methodologies set out in the Flood Estimation Handbook published by the Institute of Hydrology which take account of the catchment characteristics including development, affecting the catchment response to rainfall. This is consistent with the duty under the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 to promote sustainable flood management when carrying out flood prevention functions.

Flood Prevention

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with each local authority in the Highlands and Islands parliamentary region about flooding and coast protection; what schemes in each area have been notified to the Executive informally or formally as being likely to require grant support at some point in the future but have not yet received the necessary permissions, and what the approximate value is of each such scheme.

Michael Russell: We have had discussions with Highland Council about the feasibility studies of flood prevention measures at Caol and Inverness, Western Isles Council about approved coast protection schemes on South Uist, Benbecula and Barra, Moray Council about their flood prevention programme, Argyll and Bute about the proposed scheme at Kilbride Rd, Dunoon.

  Councils have indicated the undernoted schemes may be brought forward in the future. However, following the spending review funding of schemes is a matter for the authorities concerned.

  

Council
Scheme
Cost £ Million


Highland Council
South West Inverness Flood Prevention Scheme 2006
10.5


Highland Council
Wick Coast Protection Scheme 2003 phase 2
 3.9


Western Isles
Balivanich, Ludag Rd, Stoneybridge, Pol na Craan, Barra coast protection schemes 2007
 3.9


Moray Council
Rothes Flood Prevention Scheme 2006
21


Elgin Flood Prevention Scheme 2007
64


Forres (Findhorn) Flood Prevention Scheme
41


Argyll and Bute 
Kilbride Rd, Dunoon Flood Prevention Scheme 2007
1.2


Milton Burn, Dunoon Flood Prevention Scheme
2


Cambeltown Flood Prevention Scheme
1


Strone Flood Prevention Scheme
0.7


Port Ellen Flood Prevention Scheme
0.5

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what further measures it will introduce to support the sheep sector to help it to recover from the 2007 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Richard Lochhead: On 24 October, we announced an aid package worth around £25 million in response to foot-and-mouth disease. Most of the aid was directed at the sheep sector because it was particularly badly affected by the outbreak. There are currently no plans for further measures to support the sheep sector.

Forestry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Strategic Timber Transport Fund remains unallocated.

Michael Russell: The value of the current fund is £13 million. To date £9 million has been allocated from the fund, therefore, at this time £4 million is unallocated.

  However, six additional projects to the value of £1.3 million are currently under consideration through the Strategic Timber Transport Scheme and another four, to the value of £700,000, are under revision by the applicants. If all are accepted this will leave £2 million unallocated, pending a final round of submissions in January 2008.

  Pre-submissions indicate that potential applications for the final round on 31 January 2008 already total £1.9 million. If this came to fruition, then only £100,000 of the original fund would be unallocated by the end completion date of 31 March 2008.

  Due to the long lead-in times associated with many of the approved partnership projects, there has been a delay in actual uptake of the grant monies. Projected total cash expenditure in the life of the Fund, by the end of March 2008, is approximately £4 million. Therefore the carry over into the next tranche of the fund could be as much as £9 million, dependant on performance of the projects up to 31 March 2008.

Forestry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue the Strategic Timber Transport Fund in its current form or to review it after 31 March 2008.

Michael Russell: I have today announced that the fund will continue for a further three years until March 2011. I have agreed an allocation of £5 million per annum, a total of £15 million, to finance carry-over projects approved before 31 March 2008 and future projects that comply with the conditions of the Strategic Timber Transport Fund. The fund will continue to be managed and delivered through Forestry Commission Scotland. As part of their continuous improvement process, Forestry Commission Scotland, in conjunction, with The Strategic Timber Transport Forum, have commissioned a review of the current awarding process, to explore ways of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery mechanism.

  Dates of future rounds of applications will be announced some time after March 2008.

Fuel

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it intends to make to the UK Government regarding the introduction of an area-based derogation in the rate of VAT levied on the sale of motor fuel in the North Highlands.

Stewart Stevenson: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer about this matter.

Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are being made to services for those suffering from Parkinson’s disease in Ayrshire.

Shona Robison: There is general recognition that NHS Ayrshire and Arran does not have a full Parkinson’s disease service at present. The board has therefore set up a Parkinson’s Disease Group, which includes patient representatives, to look at the improvements which could be made to existing services, including the development of a clear care pathway. This is linked to development of the board’s general neurological services following completion of its neurological needs assessment.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6612 by Stewart Maxwell on 29 November 2007, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the condition of buildings approved for Housing Association Grant prior to being approved for the grant in 2006-07.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows.

  Communities Scotland does not record information on projects approved for Housing Association Grant (HAG) in this way. We therefore cannot provide a detailed breakdown of the condition of buildings approved for HAG.

Housing

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-6612 by Stewart Maxwell on 29 November 2007, how many of the buildings approved for Housing Association Grant were abandoned or derelict prior to being approved for the grant in 2006-07.

Stewart Maxwell: I have asked James Hynd, Acting Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. His response is as follows.

  Communities Scotland does not record information about projects approved for Housing Association Grant (HAG) in this way. We therefore cannot give details of the number of buildings approved for HAG which were either abandoned or derelict.

Housing

Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing’s statement on housing on 31 October 2007 that she would "encourage Fife Council—as I will any other council in the country—to increase the supply of land" ( Official Report , c. 2842), whether Fife Council’s Structure Plan will be approved even if the housing land reappraisal proposes a reduction in the land available for housing compared with the original proposals submitted to the Executive in 2006

Stewart Stevenson: The Fife Structure Plan was submitted to ministers in June 2006. Their consideration of the plan has been delayed whilst Fife Council re-appraise the housing allocations. It is expected that the council will submit proposed housing amendments to the plan at the end of this year, at which point, ministers will recommence their consideration of the whole plan. When deciding whether to approve a structure plan, ministers take account of all relevant factors including objections and representations, as well as national policy guidance such as Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing . This requires structure plans to provide sufficient housing land to meet the assessed requirement for new dwellings.

Housing

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) maximum, (b) minimum and (c) average cost was of land sold for housing units by each local authority to (i) local housing associations and (ii) private developers in each year since 1999.

Stewart Maxwell: This information is not held centrally.

International Development

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions with Scottish aid agencies on the future direction of international development policy have reached any conclusions and when the outcome of such discussions is likely to be made known to the Parliament.

Linda Fabiani: The call for comments on the international development policy closed on 31 October and 45 responses were received in total. Given the broad range of views expressed in those responses, Scottish Government analytical staff are carrying out an initial analysis and, once this is done, international development officials will prepare detailed recommendations for ministers’ consideration. An announcement remains on schedule for early 2008.

International Development

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what total amount has been allocated in 2007-08 for expenditure on international development; what percentage of that amount will be spent on aid-related matters; how much remains unspent, and what steps are being taken to invite bids and make decisions about projects in sufficient time that funding for next year is fully utilised.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Budget on 14 November 2007 confirmed that the International Development Fund is set at £4.5 million for 2007-08, an increase in the inherited baseline budget of £3 million. The full amount of the fund will be spent on development as administration costs are met from a separate budget.

  The majority of this year’s allocation is committed to on-going projects but as a result of the election and the review of the international development policy that is underway, there is a small degree of flexibility in this year’s International Development Fund. Scottish Government officials have been actively considering how best to utilise this by identifying priorities that are in line with existing policy commitments, with a primary focus on Malawi.

  A funding round is expected to be announced in the New Year after the review of the wider policy is complete, with a view to making awards early in the 2008-09 financial year.

Justice

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it will provide to Crimestoppers in the budget.

Fergus Ewing: We are currently in discussions with Crimestoppers Scotland about funding for next financial year.

  The Crimestoppers Scotland call centre is managed by the Scottish Police Services Authority (SPSA) and the costs of employing staff and providing accommodation are met from the SPSA’s Grant-In-Aid provided by the Scottish Government. The cost and management of the call centre is therefore an operational matter for the SPSA.

Justice

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the money recovered in seized assets will be allocated to Crimestoppers.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7306 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Justice

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases taken on by claims companies have been settled out of court in each year since 1999.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Local Government Concordat

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the group charged with overseeing the process of managing the single outcome agreements’ arrangements will meet the Local Government and Communities Committee of the Parliament.

John Swinney: This is a matter for the group. However, I anticipate its members would be happy to consider an invitation to meet the Local Government and Communities Committee.

Local Government Concordat

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether there will be a process of prioritisation and bidding for roads.

Stewart Stevenson: Support for roads will be provided through the core local government finance settlement and it will be for the local authorities themselves to determine their priorities for spending on local roads.

  Generally, it is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

Local Government Concordat

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether the Gaelic Specific Grant will be considered for rolling up into future grant aid to councils.

Linda Fabiani: Gaelic specific grants are available to local authorities to assist with the cost of delivering Gaelic education within their area, or towards the cost of providing access to it in another authority’s area. In order to promote and extend Gaelic education in Scotland, this grant scheme will be retained as a ring-fenced grant scheme and it will continue to be administered flexibly so that awards of grant can be made to meet the changing pattern of need throughout Scotland.

Local Government Concordat

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether funds have been allocated as part of the local government settlement for respite for 1,000 young carers.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the spending review period, as set out in the concordat. While it is for each local authority to allocate its resources on the basis of local needs and priorities, the concordat includes a commitment to make progress towards delivering an extra 10,000 respite weeks per annum. This will include respite for young carers.

  Under the concordat, the Scottish Government and local government, through COSLA, will also work together to develop policy and agree implementation and resources in areas where local government has a key interest. This includes respite and other support for an additional 1,000 young carers.

Local Government Concordat

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether an (a) 10%, (b) 20% or (c) 30% improvement in delivering 10,000 extra respite weeks per annum would be regarded as "progress towards" this target.

Shona Robison: As part of the new concordat, each local authority will reach agreement with the Scottish Government on all of the relevant deliverables. The detail of what will be expected to be achieved under specified commitments, such as that on respite, will be described in those agreements, the precise terms of which are still being negotiated with our delivery partners.

Local Government Concordat

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, under the terms of its concordat with COSLA, whether it will require local authorities to submit monitoring returns to it on matters subject to proposals to remove ring fencing from funds in cases where such reporting arrangements currently exist in respect of such funds.

John Swinney: No. The bureaucracy and central monitoring associated with the grants that are to be rolled up into the local government finance settlement with effect from 2008-09 will be removed. In its place, progress and achievements towards the national outcomes and commitments will be monitored in accordance with the reporting and oversight arrangements as set out in the concordat. The ring-fenced grants will continue to be centrally monitored.

Ministerial Correspondence

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Environment will respond to my letter dated 6 September 2007 (ref: 2007/0031198).

Michael Russell: An interim response to the member’s letter dated 6 September 2007 was issued on 6 December, and the member should now be in receipt of a full response.

National Health Service

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce its policy in relation to the NHS National Resource Allocation Committee’s report submitted to ministers in September 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: I am currently considering the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee’s report and the views submitted to me by the Health and Sport Committee and by health boards. I expect to make a decision based on the report, and all the comments I have received, early in the New Year.

  The earliest that any change could be introduced would be in relation to allocations for 2009-10. As I have already indicated, if I decide to make any adjustments to health boards’ relative funding, no board would receive less funding than it does at present. Any resultant changes would be phased in over a number of years as has been the practice under both the previous SHARE and Arbuthnott formulae.

Non-Domestic Rates

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Kelvin parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Anniesland parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Pollok parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Cathcart parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Baillieston parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Shettleston parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many small businesses in the Glasgow Govan parliamentary constituency will benefit from the proposed cut in business rates.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7439 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Non-Domestic Rates

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have properties in Scotland with a combined rateable value of (a) up to £8,000, (b) from £8,001 to £10,000 and (c) from £10,001 to £15,000, broken down by local authority area.

John Swinney: Information on businesses in the form requested is not held centrally. However, information on the number and rateable value of non-domestic properties which may be eligible for relief under the Small Business Bonus scheme is available for each local authority area on the Scottish Assessors Portal ( www.saa.gov.uk ). This information is shown as follows:

  Analysis of the Number of Business Properties in Scotland of which the Rateable Value is £15,000 or Less (Excluding Zero-Rated Subjects)

  

Local Authority
Number of Business Properties by Rateable Value


Less than £8,000
£8,001 to £10,000
£10,001 to £15,000
Total up to £15,000


Aberdeen City
3,390
569
844
4,803


Aberdeenshire
6,839
478
663
7,980


Angus
3,249
203
321
3,773


Argyll and Bute
5,858
236
338
6,432


Clackmannanshire
977
77
125
1,179


Dumfries and Galloway
6,307
280
435
7,022


Dundee City
2,884
336
573
3,793


East Ayrshire
2,435
230
351
3,016


East Dunbartonshire
1,141
197
260
1,598


East Lothian
2,043
178
244
2,465


East Renfrewshire
818
126
216
1,160


Edinburgh, City of
8,473
1,243
1,951
11,667


Eilean Siar
1,733
62
94
1,889


Falkirk
2,702
281
406
3,389


Fife
7,104
653
1,051
8,808


Glasgow City
11,943
1,628
2,420
15,991


Highland
12,284
625
894
13,803


Inverclyde
1,277
174
221
1,672


Midlothian
1,556
155
266
1,977


Moray
3,055
192
288
3,535


North Ayrshire
3,075
257
401
3,733


North Lanarkshire
4,518
626
881
6,025


Orkney Islands
1,589
66
78
1,733


Perth and Kinross
5,135
378
528
6,041


Renfrewshire
3,294
404
581
4,279


Scottish Borders
4,946
232
414
5,592


Shetland Islands
1,425
68
106
1,599


South Ayrshire
2,782
270
456
3,508


South Lanarkshire
4,956
626
905
6,487


Stirling
2,816
260
380
3,456


West Dunbartonshire
1,488
164
241
1,893


West Lothian
2,537
322
507
3,366


Scotland
124,629
11,596
17,439
153,664



  Source: Scottish Assessors Portal as at 1 October 2007.

  Notes:

  The number of eligible businesses will be lower than the number of non-domestic properties in each area, because some businesses have more than one property. This may affect eligibility for relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme, which will depend on:

  the combined rateable value of all properties in Scotland for which the business is liable to pay rates;

  whether the property is eligible for one of the existing rates relief schemes, and

  the level of other public sector assistance received by the business.

Planning

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to ensure that planning applications for wind farm developments are processed within a defined time limit.

Jim Mather: Responsibility for dealing with planning applications for wind farms of less than 50MW and local planning matters rest with the planning authority. Once a valid planning application is received the authority has two months (or four months if the application is accompanied by an environmental statement) to give their decision unless an extension period is agreed with the applicant. Failure to meet this deadline allows the applicant the right of appeal to Scottish ministers on the grounds of non-determination.

  Wind farms over 50MW generating capacity are determined by Scottish ministers. Our aim is to make decisions quicker by improving the quality of applications, introducing more certainty about turnaround times and more robust procedures. I believe we can now work to an objective of having all applications determined within nine months, where there is no Public Local Inquiry.

Planning

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on Historic Scotland’s response to the application for planning permission for the Beauly to Denny power line, given that it did not register an objection despite the line having implications for the visual landscape of the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle.

Linda Fabiani: Scottish ministers have appointed reporters from the Scottish Government Directorate of Planning and Environmental Appeals to conduct a public local inquiry into the proposed Beauly to Denny transmission line. Their role is to hear and consider all the evidence presented to the inquiry, including both oral and written evidence, and to report back to ministers who will ultimately be responsible for determining the application. Historic Scotland’s written evidence to the inquiry will be considered as part of that process. It would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to offer comment on any evidence which is subject to this inquiry process.

Planning

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the proposed minimum standards of open space within developments, as detailed in the consultation document on planning policy on physical activity and open spaces (SPP11), have not been included in the published SPP11.

Stewart Stevenson: The consultation draft of SPP 11 , published in August 2006, proposed national minimum quantitative standards for open space for several categories of new development. Many respondents commented in some detail on this proposal. Whilst there was much support for minimum standards, significant concerns were raised about the inflexibility of imposing the same standards on developments throughout the country regardless of local circumstances. Concerns also centred on the potential impact on brownfield development, regeneration proposals and affordable housing.

  The planning system is operated largely by local authorities, and decisions about protection of and investment in local open space are generally best left to local authorities and local communities. The Scottish Government believes that locally determined open space strategies, rather than nationally imposed standards, are the best way of ensuring the provision of open space across Scotland is sensitive to local priorities and circumstances.

Planning

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why statutory consultation on non-sporting green spaces, as proposed in the consultation document on planning policy on physical activity and open spaces (SPP11), has not been included in the published SPP11.

Stewart Stevenson: The consultation draft of SPP 11 was published in August 2006. Although there was support in principle for statutory consultation on development affecting non-sporting greenspace, there was little support for consultation with Greenspace Scotland or Scottish Natural Heritage as was proposed. Neither of these two organisations supported the proposal. Scottish ministers do not consider that there is at present a suitable body with the responsibilities and resources to act as a statutory consultee for the wide range of non-sporting greenspace.

  SPP 11 encourages consultation with appropriate local and national interests, both on development proposals and, crucially, in the development of the local open space strategy. Any proposals involving the loss of protected open space will ultimately require to be notified to Scottish ministers before planning permission may be issued.

Planning

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a time limit for local authorities to comply with the requirement for an open space audit, as required by National Planning Policy Guidance 11 (NPPG11) and Planning Advice Note 65 (PAN 65).

Stewart Stevenson: The requirement on every Scottish local authority to prepare an open space audit and strategy is contained in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 11: Open Space and Physical Activity , published November 2007. SPP 11 makes it clear that all local authorities should start now to ensure that an audit and strategy is prepared for their areas. Once prepared, the audit and strategy must be reviewed on a regular five year cycle to link with and inform preparation of the statutory development plan.

Prison Service

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost per prisoner place is for existing (a) public and (b) private prisons and what cost differential between public and private prison places is assumed by its Justice department when assessing how to procure new additional prison capacity.

Kenny MacAskill: I wrote to the Justice Committee on 7 December 2007, providing detailed information on the cost per prisoner and levels of service based on the Draft Budget for 2008-09. I would be pleased to send a copy to the member.

Prison Service

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions ministers have had with the Aberdeen Prison Visiting Committee since the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced his decision on 24 August 2007 to close Aberdeen prison.

Kenny MacAskill: No formal discussions have taken place between ministers and the Aberdeen Visiting Committee. However, there has been correspondence from the Visiting Committee addressed to both myself and to the First Minister. This has now been dealt with by officials and a letter was issued on 2 December 2007 to the Clerk of the Visiting Committee.

  It was thought appropriate to arrange to meet with representatives of Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council prior to issuing that reply. It is my understanding that contact has now been established with both councils.

Public Bodies

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the health portfolio will contribute to the intention to reduce public bodies by 25%.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7323 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what standard indicators it uses to monitor and evaluate PFI/PPP contracts.

John Swinney: It is the responsibility of individual public sector procuring bodies to monitor and evaluate their own PPP contracts and this is carried out through the payment mechanism which is contained within the contract documentation. The payment mechanism consists of performance and availability indicators and are tailored for each individual contract. Standardised PPP contract documentation is available for the main sectors such as schools and health on the Scottish Government Financial Partnerships Unit’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk/ppp under the publications menu.

  In addition, there is a pre-financial close Key Stage Review which focuses on project management and monitoring during the construction and operational phases, and new operational guidance in the form of 2 Briefing Notes. These are also available on the website.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish companies that have entered into PFI/PPP contracts with (a) local authorities, (b) NHS boards and (c) government agencies have subsequently been acquired by companies based outside Scotland since 1999.

John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.

Public Private Partnerships

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) local authority, (b) NHS board and (b) government agency PFI/PPP contracts have increased in scope or complexity from the original proposals since 1999.

Mr John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally for local authorities and NHS boards.

  Of the three Government PPP contracts (M6 DBFO, M77/GSO, HM Prison Kilmarnock) none have increased in scope or complexity to such an extent that there has been a major change from the original proposals.

  As PPP contracts are for the long term, they contain provisions which allow for variations to be made to the contract and this is carried out in accordance with prescribed change procedures.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts have been made to promote and develop the Ayr to Stranraer rail line for passenger and freight traffic in accordance with local, regional and national transport policies.

Stewart Stevenson: In accordance with optimising the use of the network through effective timetabling of passenger and freight services, Transport Scotland and First ScotRail are examining the service provision for services to Ayr and Stranraer. In the course of these examinations any opportunities which may emerge to improve services between Stranraer/Girvan and Ayr will be considered.

  In addition, the Strategic Transport Projects Review which is currently underway will examine the longer term needs of Scotland’s nationally strategic transport network to develop the investment plan for 2012 to 2022. The review will identify gaps and weaknesses on the national strategic transport network and will be carried out in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the introduction of station adoption schemes with a view to improving the appearance and environment of stations for rail users.

Stewart Stevenson: First ScotRail operates rail services in Scotland under the Franchise Agreement with Scottish ministers. First ScotRail already operates an Adopt a Station scheme.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to market the Ayr to Stranraer rail line to visitors and tourists.

Stewart Stevenson: Marketing of rail services on this is the responsibility of First ScotRail under the Franchise Agreement with Transport Scotland and the extent of marketing carried out is a commercial decision for First ScotRail.

Rail Network

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role the rail network has in improving the economy and social inclusion in south-west Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: The recently published Government Economic Strategy (GES) sets out the Government’s central purpose of creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable growth. The GES recognises that an efficient transport system is one of the key enablers for enhancing productivity and delivering faster, more sustainable growth.

  The Scottish Government is committed to enhancing rail services and infrastructure across Scotland, ensuring the provision of a safe and reliable service that supports economic growth and delivers wider social inclusion and environmental aspirations. The transport links to south-west Scotland are being considered within the Strategic Transport Projects Review, as part of the nationally strategic transport corridor linking Glasgow to Ayrshire and Stranraer.

Rail Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average peak hour rail journey time between Glasgow and Edinburgh has been since May 2007 and what percentage of trains have been delayed by five minutes or more.

Stewart Stevenson: No statistics are currently available of the average peak hour rail journey time between Glasgow and Edinburgh.

  In the period since May 2007, 12 percent of all trains on the Edinburgh and Glasgow route have been delayed by five minutes or more.

Regeneration

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated to it by the UK Government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review for the regeneration of seaside towns.

John Swinney: The Comprehensive Spending Review allocation to the Scottish Government is calculated on the basis of allocations to Whitehall Departments. It is for those Departments to then decide how they wish to allocate the settlement between spending programmes, in the same way as it is for Scottish Ministers to decide how the Scottish Government’s allocation should be distributed.

Regeneration

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to utilise funding allocated to it by the UK Government as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review for the regeneration of seaside towns.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it will provide to promote the regeneration of the seaside in each of the next three years.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to help to regenerate seaside and coastal towns.

Stewart Maxwell: The overarching objective of the Scottish Government is to promote economic growth across the whole of Scotland and for the benefit of all. There are no plans to introduce a specific funding stream for seaside towns. We have committed to a range of actions that will benefit all towns across Scotland and support their regeneration.

  As part of the Spending Review, we published proposals to remove or reduce the burden of business rates for a significant number of small businesses across Scotland. Reducing direct costs will give businesses a competitive advantage and a greater opportunity to grow and to invest in their future, which in turn will help kick-start the revival of our town and city centres.

  In addition, Scottish planning policy reinforces the role of town centres as locations for retailing and a wide mix of community and social activities, indicating that town centres should be the first choice for shopping and related developments.

  We have also committed support of £435 million over the next three years to regenerate communities across Scotland.

Roads

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to pilot driving on hard shoulders during rush hour on congested stretches of roads, in light of the results of the UK Government’s pilot scheme allowing drivers to use the hard shoulder on the M42 outside Birmingham during rush hour.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is currently examining the feasibility of introducing demand management measures, such as hard shoulder running, on congested parts of the central Scotland motorway and trunk road network. No decisions have been taken to implement proposals at this stage. Any potential schemes will have to be carefully examined in relation to performance and safety issues.

School Meals

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring and assessment mechanisms are in place to analyse the effectiveness of the free school meals pilot in the Scottish Borders.

Adam Ingram: Following a competitive tendering exercise, conducted in line with the Scottish Government’s Procedures for Commissioning and Managing Social Research, Ipsos MORI has been appointed to conduct the independent evaluation of the free school meal trial for primary 1 to 3 pupils. Ipsos MORI is evaluating the trial by collecting data on the change in school meal uptake from the five trial local authorities, including Scottish Borders, and through assessing any changes in attitudes and behaviours of primary 1 to 3 pupils and their parents that are evident within the trial period.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional monies have been allocated by Scottish Water to comply with the provisions of any enforcement notices issued to it for sewerage odour nuisance.

Michael Russell: The one enforcement notice that has been served on Scottish Water was in relation to a works that was in the commissioning phase, and was dealt with under the contractual arrangements in place at the time. No additional monies were allocated to Scottish Water for this purpose.

Scottish Water

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what Scottish Water’s budget is for dealing with sewerage odour nuisance over the next three years.

Michael Russell: Scottish Water were allocated £14.4 million for odour minimisation at 14 works in the Quality & Standards IIIa capital investment programme for 2006-10.

  Compliance with Code of Practice on Sewerage Nuisance is met within Scottish Water’s operational budget.

Sport

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bid to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup or the 2016 European Football Championship.

Stewart Maxwell: The decision on whether to bid to host the 2015 Rugby World Cup or the 2016 European Football Championship is ultimately a matter for the Scottish Rugby Union and the Scottish Football Association to take following consultation with the Scottish Government.

Terrorism

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the protection of the public as a result of the terrorist attack on Glasgow Airport on 30 June 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: Public safety remains the Scottish Government’s top priority, and security arrangements are kept under constant review. The lessons learned from the Glasgow Airport incident have informed our resilience planning across a range of sectors. The government and all public bodies remain ever vigilant against the terrorist threat in our determination to ensure we are playing our part in protecting the Scottish public.

Tourism

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will provide to help to regenerate seaside towns as holiday destinations and promote tourism.

Jim Mather: The overarching objective of the Scottish Government is to promote economic growth across the whole of Scotland and for the benefit of all. We have committed support of £435 million over the next three years to regenerate communities across Scotland. There is no specific funding available for the regeneration of seaside towns as tourism destinations. However, the government is working closely with the tourism industry in implementing the Tourism Framework for Change strategy and its ambition to increase tourism revenues by 50% in the decade to 2015.

Tourism

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what role it sees for seaside towns in the promotion of tourism.

Jim Mather: VisitScotland promotes Scotland to potential visitors using a range of examples of our wonderful landscape, scenery, and rich mix of rural and urban attractions. One valuable asset that is used in the promotion of Scotland as a visitor attraction is our legacy of attractive seaside towns, which have important roles to play.

Traffic

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent on motorway and trunk road construction in each of the last eight years.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is given in table number 11.1 of Scottish Transport Statistics No 25: 2006 Edition (updated version as at 8 November 2007) which is available on The Scottish Executive’s website at   http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Transport-Travel/TablesPublications/STSUPDChap11 .

Traffic

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what aspirations it has for future traffic levels.

Stewart Stevenson: The recently published Scottish budget set out our national performance framework. Fifteen national outcomes support our plans to deliver a wealthier and fairer, smarter, healthier, safer and stronger and greener Scotland.

  Working in partnership with local authorities, progress on these outcomes will be measured by national targets and indicators including our commitments to "reduce the number of driver journeys delayed due to traffic congestion" and to "increase the proportion of journeys to work made by public or active travel".

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be available to local authorities from the Strategic Waste Fund in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 expressed in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, also showing any year-on-year real term percentage change.

Richard Lochhead: Under the concordat agreed between the Scottish ministers and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the ring-fence around the Strategic Waste Fund will be removed from 1 April 2008, with the funding being absorbed into the main local government settlement.

  The Scottish Government will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels of funding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The vast majority of the funding, including the funding to help implement the National Waste Plan, will be provided by means of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated from the zero waste budget to (a) the Strategic Waste Fund, (b) Keep Scotland Beautiful and (c) Waste initiatives in (i) 2008-09, (ii) 2009-10 and (iii) 2010-11, broken down by funding stream and expressed in real terms, also showing any year-on-year real term percentage change.

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to programmes and schemes implementing the National Waste Plan in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11, broken down by funding stream and expressed in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, also showing any year-on-year real term percentage change.

Richard Lochhead: We estimate that around £50 million over three years will be spent on waste delivery bodies. These resources will be spent on household and commercial waste prevention; developing markets for recycled materials; public education and awareness on waste and litter, including support for Keep Scotland Beautiful; the community recycling sector; advice to local authorities, and waste infrastructure. We are considering carefully with local authorities and others how best to spend the remaining waste resources (around £100 million over the three years) in the zero waste budget, but our aim is to support the further development of infrastructure that will be required to meet future waste targets.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding will be allocated to local authorities to support improvement in recycling rates in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11 expressed in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, also showing any year-on-year real term percentage change.

Richard Lochhead: Recycling services currently funded by the Strategic Waste Fund will in future be supported through the local government settlement. We expect that around £100 million over the next three years in the centrally-held Zero Waste Budget will be used to develop infrastructure required to meet future waste targets.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report, Sustainable waste management, published in September 2007.

Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the letter sent on 31 October 2007 by the Accountable Officer to the Convenor of the Audit Committee. A copy of this letter can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/audit/papers-07/aup07-06.pdf .

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to establish service level agreements relating to waste management with local authorities.

Richard Lochhead: The concordat between the Scottish Government and local government outlines that as part of the overall package each local authority would aim to reach a Single Outcome Agreement with the Scottish Government at the earliest opportunity. National Indicator 39 in the concordat relates to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. This is in line with the EU Landfill Directive target for 2010 on reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste sent to landfill.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that local authorities meet the targets set by the EU landfill directive.

Richard Lochhead: National Indicator 39 in the concordat between the Scottish Government and local government relates to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill in 2010, in line with the first EU Landfill Directive target. In addition, the Landfill Allowance Scheme places limits on the amounts of biodegradable municipal waste which can be sent to landfill. Authorities which exceed these limits can be subject to penalties. We will, of course, support work by local authorities to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill through our zero waste budget. In addition, the rising cost of landfill provides a further incentive to find other ways of dealing with waste.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial penalties will be incurred by local authorities for failure to comply with the limits laid down in the Landfill Allowance Scheme.

Richard Lochhead: Each case is considered on its merits and penalties are not automatic. Regulation 19 of the Landfill Allowances Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2005 lay down the penalties that can be levied if an authority exceeds its allowance. These penalties are £10 a tonne in 2005-06; £25 a tonne in 2006-07; £50 a tonne in 2007-08, and £150 a tonne in subsequent years. In addition, if the United Kingdom should fail to meet Landfill Directive targets in 2010, 2013 and 2020, the regulations make provision for supplementary penalties for those authorities exceeding their allowances.

Waste Management

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place to achieve its aspiration of a zero waste society.

Richard Lochhead: Zero waste requires high-levels of recycling and composting and a greater emphasis on waste prevention. Figures from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency show that recycling and composting is increasing and the amount of waste going to landfill is falling. A number of steps are in place to tackle waste growth such as the Scottish Waste Awareness Group’s Love Food Hate Waste campaign, on food waste; work by the Waste and Resources Action Programme with retailers on packaging and other waste; a home composting programme, and work by the community recycling sector to provide advice to householders on how to avoid waste. We recognise we need to do more on waste prevention and part of the zero waste budget will be allocated to work in this area. We are also committed to further improvements to the environmental performance of the public sector as a whole.

Waste Management

Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a review of the learning support provision available in local education authorities for pupils with specific learning problems in reading, writing and spelling and, if significant differences in support provision are found in different authorities, put measures in place to regularise the situation.

Adam Ingram: It is possible to have a range of approaches, across local authorities, to making provision for learning support. What is important, however, is that each local authority, through its own quality assurance procedures, is able to monitor the success of its approach in terms of pupils’ outcomes.

  HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) is undertaking a specific evaluation of dyslexia and dyslexia-type difficulties over the period 2007-08. This review, by its nature, will cover learning support provision for pupils with specific learning difficulties in reading, writing and spelling. The final report is due to be published in late autumn 2008. The recommendations will be considered very carefully and will help inform future developments.

  Additionally, HMIE as part of their general inspection programme, review and report on the adequacy of provision for learning support in schools across all education authorities and identify, where necessary, steps that need to be taken to improve support for pupils.

Water Services

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement notices have been issued under section 26 of the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005.

Michael Russell: There has been one enforcement notice served by local authorities to date under Section 26 of the Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005.

  The primary purpose of the Code of Practice on Sewerage Nuisance –Assessment and Control of Odour from Waste Water Treatment Works- issued under terms of the Act in April 2006, is to minimise odour by providing management and operational control mechanisms for operators to implement to best practicable means and for local authorities to monitor compliance.

  An enforcement notice is issued if the code is not complied with or not likely to be complied with in a material regard, and as the vast majority of works are complying with the code by producing odour management plans and odour improvement plans if required, local authorities have not needed to pursue the enforcement notice route to expedite odour abatement action.

Wildlife

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations have corresponded with ministers or officials since 17 May 2007 in respect of a ban on snaring.

Michael Russell: Since 17 May 2007, the following organisations have written to ministers or officials about snaring:

  League Against Cruel Sports on 21 May;

  Game Conservancy Trust on 24 May;

  Scottish Countryside Alliance on 5 November;

  Scottish Badgers on 21 November, and

  Advocates for Animals on 28 November.

Wildlife Crime

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision is being made for members of the public and interested organisations to submit comments or observations to those conducting the thematic review of the investigation and prosecution of wildlife crime.

Richard Lochhead: Such arrangements are a matter for Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prosecution to determine.

Young People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of money recovered in seized assets will be made available to local communities to provide diversionary activities for young people.

Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7306 on 12 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .